Summary
If you were planning to buy a physical copy ofBlack Myth: Wukongwhenthe game launches in August, you might want to rethink that decision. Not because we think the game will be bad, in fact, it looks like another interesting entry in the Soulslike subgenre that’s sprung up. But because the physical edition of the game won’t have a disc at all.
Instead, a copy of the physical edition will have a download voucher inside the box, which players can then redeem online for the full game. That goes for both the standard “Deluxe Edition,” and the recently revealed “Collector’s Edition.” In other words, the physical edition is nothing more than a glorified drink coaster.
In an update shared online, developer Game Science shared the rationale behind such a decision along with information about how its physical copies will work. On the subject of the decision, Game Science had this to say:
It is the first time for Game Science to release a console game globally, and we are currently facing limitations in offline resources required for the import, export, transportation, distribution, and sales of physical discs. These factors have made it difficult for us to sell physical discs simultaneously with the official release of the game.
Our publishing team is actively working on resolving these issues and exploring options to offer physical discs.
So, there is an option down the line for a true physical copy, but at launch that won’t be the case. Instead, players are provided with these instructionsvia the game’s FAQ:
Both physical editions come with an activation code for the Digital Deluxe Edition of Black Myth: Wukong (for purchases on JD.com, it will be a WeGame activation code; for overseas purchases, it will be a Steam activation code). To ensure the Destined One with a physical edition can play on August 20th’s launch, activation codes will be sent in advance by the customer service of our sales platform after purchase confirmation.
This Practice Has Rarely Been Seen In Triple-A Titles
What’s most interesting about this development is that it appears to be the first Triple-A release, AKA a full-priced game, to simply be a code in a box. For what it’s worth, Just Dance 2023 is also a code in the box, though it’s fairly niche and not on the level of Black Myth. The practice is oftenseen on Nintendo Switch releases, where the game is played off the cloud, or where it doesn’t fit on a single cart. Otherwise, outsidebundled digital copies with a console purchase, or “Game of the Year” editionsthat often have the DLC as a voucher, this would appear to be a first.
A year ago, Star Wars Jedi: Survivormade waves when its physical copy included the disclaimer “Download Required”, something that’ssadly become more common. The disc included only partially held the game’s file size, with a download needed to complete the rest. It was a major hit for game preservation purposes, and it looks like Black Myth: Wukong will suffer the same fate, at least in the interim.
WIth that said, it would be remiss to discuss Black Myth: Wukong without mentioning that its studio, Game Science, has beenaccused of fostering a sexist work environment. Yang Qi, the studio’s co-founder,once wrote a lengthy sexist post that touched on the biological differences between men and women as it pertains to games. To our knowledge, the studio has not responded to these accusations.
